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Southwest Coast Itinerary Ideas

Posted by (Atlanta, GA) on

We enjoy, walking - walked in Cotswalds, the Lake District and along sections of Hadrian's Wall, summer of 2017 - castles, cathedrals and old churches, ruins, gardens of all sorts, things like Stonehenge, museums and city sights (like London).

We want to bookend a visit to an old friend in May 2019, who will be relocated to Gillingham, Dorset, by then. The bookends would be starting in Ireland for a week or so and London for a few days, including the Chelsea Garden Show, before returning home.

We envision USA>Ireland >friend in Gillingham>Southwest Coast>London and Chelsea>home to USA, East Coast. Three to four weeks, combo of trans by train, car hire, bus while in England. Whatever makes sense.

This ask is only for the Southwest Coast from say the vicinity of our friend in Gillingham, Dorset around to MInehead more or less. We are not thinking straight line, walks longer than 10 miles in a day, and only a few of these, or even a mad dash around. Or, even hugging the coast, unless that gives us the best of the area. Rather we want to meander, sample, stay awhile; get to know that part of my home country. Side note about 'that' home. Last summer we visited the church, (St Martins in the Bullring, Birmingham) where my Great Grandparents were married in 1893, before immigrating to the U.S. the same year.

Very general, yes. We are a year out though.

Thanks for any ideas.
Donald

Posted by
1 posts

Just came back from the west county of England on a primarily walking /hiking trip. Really enjoyed hiking to the Tarr Steps. We parked at the Marsh Bridge in Dulverton, Exmoor. Follow the footpath along the river, through farms, and some paved roads to the Tarr Steps, an ancient clapper bridge. It's a walk that involves some gentle hills as well as some steep hills! There is a hotel/ restaurant (Tarr Steps Farm) at your destination. We made it a circular walk and returned to March Bridge by walking over the moors. It is about 10 miles total. I recommend having an OS map as a guide.

Posted by
11 posts

Thank you James. Helpful. Puts me way 'out front' in planning.

Posted by
810 posts

My daughter and I did a self-guided walking tour of Hardy's Dorset last summer organized by World Walks, and our favorite day was walking the SouthWest Coast Path from Charmouth to West Bay. There were plenty of hills, including Golden Cap, the highest point on the southwest coast at over 600 feet, but the views were gorgeous and the weather was beautiful - we even got sunburned! The path was well marked and well used; we encountered several other walking groups. We continued on the SWCP the next day but ran out of steam towards the end, walking along the Chesil Bank; miles of walking on a pebble beach was way too exhausting and hot. And no views to compensate.

We had originally planned to start at Lyme Regis, but the hostess at our B&B warned us that the path was diverted inland between Lyme Regis and Charmouth because of rock falls [I think], and so was less interesting than the usual route. It might be repaired by then, so if you are interested in this section be sure to check that out. And the walk was plenty long enough for us, even without that extra mile or so! The Jurassic Coaster bus route [X53 on FirstBus] worked well for us in getting around the area and might be helpful for you, if you have a car and want to get back to the starting point of your hike.

Thanks for the opportunity to get out my old trip diary and relive some of that wonderful day! I'd love to do more of the SW Coast Path one day... as long as there are no pebble beaches on the route.

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